U.S. Department of Justice

Tribal Resources Grant Program (TRGP)—

Hire, COPS Hiring Program (CHP), COPS Office 

Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) Program, and 

COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Program 

(CAMP)

Fiscal Year 2020 Guidance on Background Investigations Condition 

Requirements for Tribal Resources Grant Program (TRGP)—Hire, COPS Hiring 

Program (CHP), COPS Office Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) Program, and COPS 

Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP) Award Recipients

External Background Investigations FAQs

1. Do I need to complete a background investigation for COPS Office–

funded officers?

Yes. For your award to comply with the award condition on officer background investigations, the COPS 

Office requires that you complete a background investigation for all career law enforcement officers 

(including rehired officers) or village public safety officers hired with COPS Office grant program funds to 

reduce the risk of hiring officers with past convictions of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other 

serious crimes. 

2. What is a background investigation? 

For purposes of COPS Office programs, a background investigation is the process of compiling and 

analyzing the employment history, criminal records, commercial records, financial records, and other 

relevant information of an individual to be hired with COPS Office funding.

3. What type of background investigation is required for officers 

funded by the COPS Office?

Background investigations can include the following as well as other types of investigation: 

• Credit checks

• Criminal history checks 
• Resume validation

• Work history verification

4. Where should I go to have a background investigation completed 

for the awarded officer(s)?

Many agencies have specially trained staff who perform background investigations in house. Others 

contract with outside security professionals for background investigation services. Background 

investigations may be conducted by the provider of your choosing. 

5. What should I do with the information received back from the 

background investigation?

You should review the results of the background investigation to determine whether it is appropriate to 

hire the applicant based on your agency’s hiring policies and procedures. Award recipients should 

maintain all relevant documentation required to demonstrate award compliance.

6. Should I send background investigation information to the COPS 

Office?

Please do not send the COPS Office background investigation information for potential hires by your 

agency. The COPS Office does not review or evaluate background investigation information. In addition, 

the COPS Office will not review or maintain background investigation results.

7. How do I report to the COPS Office that I have satisfied the special 

award condition of completing a background investigation for the 

awarded officer(s)?

Please report the status of the background investigation completion in your required programmatic 

progress reports. In addition, you may contact your Grant Program Specialist to let them know the 

completion date(s) of the background investigations. 

8. If the awarded officer leaves, do I complete a new background 

investigation on his or her replacement?

Yes. You are required to complete a background investigation for each person who ultimately fills the 

COPS Office–funded position(s).
9. While applying for officers, I did not request costs for background 

investigations in my budget worksheet. Now that I am awarded, is there 

an opportunity that I can receive an increase in my grant award?

No, award amounts cannot be increased, and this is an unallowable cost for CHP, CAMP, and the AHTF

program. The COPS Office requires background investigations for all career law enforcement officers or 

village public safety officers hired with COPS Office funding. For TRGP–Hire recipients, if grant funds 

were not allocated for the required officer background investigations at the time of your Tribal 

Resources Grant Program—Equipment/Training (TRGP–E/T) application, you may request a budget 

modification on your TRGP–E/T award to reallocate other award funds for this purpose. Your Grant 

Program Specialist can provide more information after you have accepted the award. 

10. What happens if I do not complete a background investigation for 

the awarded officer(s)?

If the COPS Office determines that funds have been used to pay the salary and fringe benefits of an 

officer who has not undergone a background investigation, the COPS Office may exercise appropriate 

remedies (including the suspension of grant funds) in accordance with 2 C.F.R. §200.338 until the agency 

can demonstrate that the background investigation has been completed.